One of the most challenging aspects of the sport of golf is for the golfer to develop a proper stroke. With a proper stroke, when the golfer strikes the golf ball, the ball travels to the target (usually the hole) in a straight path, usually referred to as the ball's flight path or as the target line of direction, which is an imaginary substantially straight line that extends from the target and through the ball. This line of direction is an important guide as a control for the direction of travel for the backward and forward swing arcs of the golfer's stroke.
To achieve the goal of properly striking the golf ball, the golfer must not only correctly grip the shaft of the golf club, but must also insure that his or her hands are properly oriented throughout their stroke. In this manner, when the golf club is gripped properly, the golfer may insure that the face of the golf club is always properly oriented for striking the ball.
While the stance and stroke effected by many golfer's may vary, it is generally accepted that, during a proper golf stroke, the face of the golf club and the back of the golfer's leading hand should be coincidental in relation to the target proper. In right-handed individuals, the golfer's leading hand is the golfer's left hand and, in left-handed individuals, the golfer's leading hand is the golfer's right hand. If the back of the golfer's leading hand and the face of the golf club are oriented properly during the golfer's golf stroke, then the golf ball should proceed towards the target along the target line of direction.
To aid in providing for the proper orientation of the golfer's hands, numerous devices have been disclosed.
Several devices have been disclosed which attempt to provide a proper positioning of the golfer's hands in respect to the golf club by placing a peak, mound, or some raised disc on the back of the thumb portion of a golf glove. In this manner, the peak, mound, etc., permits a golfer to feel or sense any separation between his or her hands during a golf stroke. However, in that each golfer's stroke is individualistic and each grip is highly varied, such raised elements may interfere with a number of golfer's grips and may also lead to the golfer incorrectly striking the golf ball.
A similar device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,607 issued to Nedwick. In that disclosure, an arrowhead-shaped device is attached to the belt of the golfer and another such device is attached to the back of the golfer's hand. To determine if the golfer's stroke is correct, a second person (the golf instructor) must eyeball both of these devices and form an imaginary triangle. It cannot be utilized by one person alone. However, such a determination requires the instructor to not only perform complicated eyeballing of the two devices, but it also requires the instructor to form proper calculations in order to determine if the golfer's stroke is correct. Also, due to the wind resistance offered by the device attached to the hand of the golfer, the actual stroke of the golfer is affected and made more difficult.
Furthermore, with the use of such a device, the golfer may still flex his or her wrists, so that even with the use of that device, the back of the golfer's hands would not properly align. This is the case even though it may appear to the instructor that the golfer's hands are properly aligned. Accordingly, it can be seen that use of that device may result in incorrect instruction.
Also, due to the various elements of the device of Nedwick, the use of that device in the field (on the golf course itself) is extremely limited.
Finally, while perhaps being useful for correcting particular golf strokes, such as tee strokes, these devices are of little aid for correcting other golf strokes, such as the putting stroke.
Other devices that have been disclosed for correcting a golf stroke include sensory means that warn the golfer if their stroke is proper or improper. Examples of such devices can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,776,595 issued to Wilkins; 3,918,721 issued to Trask, Jr.; and 3,707,291 and 3,811,684 issued to Tredway, Sr.
While being useful for their purposes, such devices are complicated, expensive and not readily adaptable for use while the golfer is actually playing on the golf course. Also, such devices (particularly in the case of Wilkins) can interfere with or effect the golfer's stroke.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,268 issued to Lorang, a device is disclosed which is attached to the golf club itself in order to aid in properly swinging the golf club during a putting stroke. Unfortunately, this device, must be directly attached to a golf club. As such, this device can easily affect the golfer's stroke by adding weight to the club, or otherwise effecting the way in which the golf club feels in the golfer's hand. Also, such a device is not readily usable in the field. Finally, such a device is only useful for improving a golf putting stroke and is not useful to aid in improving other golf strokes, such as a drive or a chip stroke.
It has also been disclosed to provide both golf gloves and golf clubs for use therewith, which are equipped with indicia means. The indicia means are to be aligned when the golfer, wearing the golf glove equipped with such indicia, grips the golf club that is also equipped with such indicia. An example of such an arrangement is U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,874 issued to Elkins, Jr. Unfortunately, such an arrangement requires the provision not only of a special golf glove, but also of a set of special golf clubs, which can be quite expensive, especially for a beginner, just the type of person most likely to have need of the use of such devices.
To try to correct such a defect, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,962,547 issued to Minnick and 3,278,944 issued to Gowers, gloves have been disclosed that include areas that are incorporated therein which aid the golfer to have proper hand alignment. While being unobtrusive, such arrangements are of little value in indicating to either the user thereof, or to the instructor of such a user, whether or not twisting of either the golfer's hands, wrists or body occurs. Such twisting can also effect the golf stroke, so that such a device may neither detect nor be useful for correcting undesired motions in the golfer's stroke.
Thus, it can be seen that there remains a need for a device that may be utilized with existing and conventional golf gloves and golf clubs and also may be utilized by golfers without golf gloves. It can further be seen that there remains a need for such a device which permits either the golfer himself or herself, or the golfer's instructor, to easily and simply determine if the back of the golfer's leading hand is properly positioned during all manners of golf strokes, including both a golf tee stroke and a golf putting stroke. It can still further be seen that there remains a need for such a device which is substantially unobtrusive and which may be used in the field without effecting the golfer's stroke.